


Eggnog Embraces

by ChamomileTeaPages



Category: Milo Murphy's Law
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Getting Together, Going to a Diner, Going to the Zoo, M/M, POV Third Person Limited, Time travelling gays, looking at christmas lights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28334271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChamomileTeaPages/pseuds/ChamomileTeaPages
Summary: Vinnie Dakota and Balthazar T. Cavendish go to the zoo on Christmas Eve to save a rare pistachio plant, as assigned by Mr. Block. Unfortunately for them, the mission fails before it even starts. Seeing how bummed out Cavendish is about this, Dakota walks them around the zoo to look at the animals and Christmas Lights. They then dine at a diner and go home, sharing Christmas presents and fuzzy feelings. After they do their gift-giving, they try and go to sleep. The chilly Christmas air and lack of a heater means they have to turn to each other for warmth, and secrets are revealed.
Relationships: Balthazar Cavendish & Vinnie Dakota, Balthazar Cavendish/Vinnie Dakota
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Eggnog Embraces

**Author's Note:**

> otherwise titled as "THIS TOOK ME WAY TOO LONG TO WRITE"

“Dakota, _Cavendish_ ,” Mr. Block’s sneering voice startles Dakota awake. His time-traveling partner and long time crush, Cavendish, stands primly at the video player. 

“Why aren’t you up yet?” Mr. Block glares, eyelid twitching. 

“It’s only, like what,” Dakota glances around their small apartment room, “ _five in the morning?_ ”

Cavendish winces, fidgeting with the skin of his thumbnails. A small bead of blood pools up, yet he doesn’t seem to mind. 

“Fine,” Mr. Block sighs, thumbing at the skin of his eyebrows, “You better be ready within five minutes or you’re fired!”  
  


With that lovely note, Mr. Block switches off. 

“Seriously, who calls at five in the morning on Christmas Eve?” Dakota asks, walking to the bathroom. His long red nightshirt hangs off of his frame like a dress. 

Cavendish glances at him and moves to sit on their small couch, holding Dennis to him. The soft blue light from the lights of their Christmas tree highlights the pretty turquoise color of his eyes. 

“Mr. Block, apparently.” 

Dakota throws on his clothing and glances at himself at the mirror. He looks slightly tired; he got to bed at midnight. Damn paperwork. At least Cavendish kept him company.

He brushes his teeth, while musing on Cavendish. Why _did_ Cavendish get up so early? You may think that Cavendish is a morning bird, but he’s exactly the opposite. He’d told Dakota, with some embarrassment in his voice, that was the exact opposite of a morning bird. No matter how early or late he went to bed, he would sleep for hours and hours on end, usually waking up in the afternoon. 

“Dakota, you have a minute left!” Cavendish calls.

After using the toilet and washing his hands, Dakota joins Cavendish on the couch. 

“Must you slouch so?” he asks, handing Dennis to Dakota. 

“Eh, it’s Christmas, give me a break.” 

“ _Fine_ ,” Cavendish says, standing up again. The wound on his finger is larger now than it was five minutes ago, and Dakota frowns, setting Dennis down on the couch again. 

He stands up and stands close enough to be touching Cavendish. Cavendish bumps a shoulder against his nervously. 

Mr. Block’s face fills up the video screen. 

“You two are staying in your current era. Your mission is to save a species of rare pistachio plant at the Danville Zoo. They’re in the greenhouse. I better see pistachios in this can of nuts!” Mr. Block shakes the can of nuts threateningly. “Get to it!”

Dakota feels a giant smile take over his face as Mr. Block switches the video player off. 

Cavendish glances at him warily. “What?”

“We’re going to the zoo!” Dakota practically squeals, hopping up and down. “Yes! We’ll get to see actual real-life animals!”

“I’m...dreadfully happy for you,” Cavendish says with a small smile. 

“You’re smiling!”

  
  


“I am not!” Cavendish exclaims, rifling through a small piggy bank. “Anywho, what is the admission price for the Danville Zoo?”

Dakota pauses, tapping his fingers on his chin. “Uh...I think it was like... twenty-five dollars. Per person.” 

“Good heavens! That’s expensive.”

“Yeah, but,” Dakota waves a hundred dollar bill in the air, “we got money.” 

“Where did you get that?”  
  


“I won a bet with Savannah.” 

“Which was about…?”  
  


“Oh, nothing,” Dakota almost stammers out. It really wasn’t about _nothing_. The bet was how long it would take Dakota to heart-eye Cavendish. Savannah said five seconds, while Dakota said ten. Dakota won, but barely. It was a tough fight. 

“Okay, then,” Cavendish says. “I suppose this will also cover lunch.”

“What do you even want for lunch?”  
  
Cavendish yawns, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “I do not care, so long as it is not Chinese _again_.”

“Got it. May as well stop at a diner, right? I know that diners _always_ have good food, especially during Christmas.”

“Oh goodness, is it already Christmas Eve?”

“Yeah, you better have got me a present.”

“Don’t worry, I did. You better have got _me_ a present.” 

“Of course I did. Now, let’s go! We’re losing daylight!” Dakota spins the key of the time vehicle on his finger. It spins off and lands on the couch next to Dennis. “Heh, whoops.” 

Cavendish only sighs and fidgets with his sleeves. “You’ll drive, since you’re so excited to get there.”

Dakota snatches up the keys and they walk to the time vehicle. The poor thing’s seen better days; the scratches on her hood attest to that. But in spite of her dents and scratches, she’s served them well. Cavendish opens the door and sits down, buckling his seatbelt with a weary expression on his face. Dakota enters through the driver’s side and starts up the time vehicle. She releases a smooth, steady purr. 

“How much sleep did you get?” Dakota asks, glancing at Cavendish. His eyes are half-lidded, and he looks as though he wants to fall asleep for a hundred years. 

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe four, maybe one. I slept poorly.” 

“Aw, why?” Dakota turns on his GPS, setting it in the cupholders. 

“I drank coffee because of the paperwork.”

“You know I coulda done it for you, right? I don’t mind it. I don’t want you hurting yourself for me,” Dakota fusses. Cavendish infamously does NOT tolerate caffeine well, a fact that he’s rued all throughout their partnership/friendship. How could he be a real Briton, he’d claimed, if he couldn't even tolerate tea?

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll close my eyes for a moment.” 

Within seconds, Cavendish is out like a light. He snores deeply, yet somehow it endears Dakota to Cavendish even more. It’s just so...Cavendish. 

“Sleep well, partner,” he whispers, and lowers the speed a little. The slower he drives, the slower they’ll get there, therefore, Cavendish will have longer to sleep. 

The rest of the hour-long drive passes by uneventfully. Once they get there, Dakota parks the car, purchases admission tickets, and walks back to the time vehicle. Cavendish is still snoring away in the vehicle, and he looks more relaxed than Dakota’s ever seen him. 

“Hey, Cavendish, Cavendish, wake up,” Dakota says, shaking Cavendish. Cavendish startles awake. 

“We’re here already?” he groans. 

“Yep.”

Cavendish yawns widely, working all the kinks out of his back. “Do you have the admission tickets?” 

“Yep,” Dakota waves the tickets in the air, “I got them.” 

Cavendish steps out of the car and glances at Dakota. “Let’s go, shall we?”

Dakota nods and they walk towards the entrance. Dakota feels the distant sound of screaming at the greenhouse. 

“Did you hear that?”  
  


Cavendish goes positively pale. “Was that...from the greenhouse?”

Dakota nods, handing their tickets to a lady who ushers them inside. 

“It was.”

Cavendish grabs him by an arm and drags him to the greenhouse. “ _Murphy_ ,” he hisses. 

“Are we sure it’s Murphy?” Dakota asks, slightly out of breath. 

Cavendish throws him a look and speeds up. “Of course we’re sure it’s Murphy! What else would cause the screaming?”

Cavendish stops suddenly, an almost broken look coming across his face. He squeezes Dakota’s arm tightly. Dakota looks at the greenhouse and almost recoils. 

It is completely caved in, and large pieces of glass stab the pistachio plants they were supposed to protect. Murphy and what appears to be his elder sister stand, assessing the damage. 

“Oh…wow.” 

“Need I…” Cavendish raises an eyebrow at Dakota, looking exasperated and sad at the same time. 

“Nope,” Dakota says, using his other arm to pat Cavendish on the arm, “you don’t need to say a _word_.”

“I suppose...n-now we…”

“Come on,” Dakota says, spinning Cavendish around, “let’s go look at the animals.”

“Can we also look at the Christmas lights?” 

“Sure,” Dakota says, pulling Cavendish closer to him, “if it’ll make you happy.”

Cavendish nods, smiling softly. His nose is carnation-pink in the frosty air. 

They walk quietly throughout the zoo, still entwined. They see each exhibit, Dakota carefully explaining what each animal is. 

“What is _that_ hideous beast?” Cavendish asks, pointing towards a hippopotamus. 

“That’s a hippopotamus,” Dakota reads off of the plague. “They’re from Africa and are really big. They’re herbivorous, but they have really big, sharp teeth, which means they can kill crocodiles with just a bite.”

“Good heavens! What a horrifying creature.” 

Dakota’s stomach grumbles. 

“I suppose we should go and stop for lunch,” Cavendish says. 

Dakota stops him. “No, ‘cause we still haven’t seen the Christmas lights. You wanted to see them, so we’re not leaving ‘till you see them.” 

“We’ll see the Christmas lights and THEN go for lunch.”

“Well, it’s more breakfast, but yeah.” 

“The best ones are always by the leopards,” Cavendish says, ushering them away from the hippopotamus. 

Dakota nods, slowing them down. “Don’t you want to...I don’t know, enjoy the trip?”

“ _Fine_.”

They stroll towards the leopards. Cavendish was right, the lights here are gorgeous. Pretty whites and reds form candy canes and Santa Clauses, while golden and silver lights form icicles. 

“Whoa, pretty!”

“Not as pretty as you,” Cavendish murmurs quietly, a small blush on his cheeks. 

Dakota smirks slightly. “So you think I'm pretty?”

“Er...yes. You have nice eyes and cute hair.”

“Well, I think that your hair,” Dakota reaches fluff up Cavendish’s short hair, “is very nice and soft.”

“Oh, well, thank you.” Cavendish’s face is now entirely light pink. 

They continue walking, aware of this new energy between them. Cavendish takes Dakota’s hand in his hesitantly. Dakota entwines their fingers, and Cavendish releases a little breath of relief. 

“Come on,” Cavendish says rather breathlessly, “let’s go eat.”

“Alrighty then, I’ll drive,” Dakota replies as they walk to their time vehicle. 

They drive to a nearby diner, still holding hands. The diner was one of the most welcoming Dakota had been in. The warm air smells distinctly of bacon and eggs, and quiet conversation fills the lemony-orange colored space with home-like energy. 

“What a nice place!” Cavendish exclaims as they sit down in a booth. “It’s so...homelike!” 

“Yeah, it is.”

“What can I get for y’all?” a small, stout woman with gray hair and wrinkles asks. 

“Chicken and waffles for the both of us.”

“Oh! And eggnog, please!” Dakota adds. 

“That’ll be twenty dollars and thirty-two cents.”

Dakota places down the rest of the fifty-something dollars. “Here’s your tip.”

She beams at him and shuffles onto the kitchen. 

“Well, it _is_ Christmas,” Cavendish says. 

Dakota nods, and they begin debating whether or not Mr. Block was attractive or not. They both came to the conclusion that he was unforgivably unattractive, not only in body, but in mind. They both agreed that he was a man who spared nobody’s feelings but his own. 

The waitress sets their food down at their table as silently as a ghost, and walks back to the kitchen. They dig into their food hungrily. 

“My goodness, that is marvelous!”

“Yeah, that _is_ good,” Dakota agrees. “Told you I knew a good spot.”

“Indeed you did.”

They finish their plates in record speed, practically licking them clean. They chug their eggnog and lean back in relaxed contentment. 

“I suppose we should go home now,” Cavendish murmurs. 

“Yeah, let’s give each other our presents.” 

They walk out of the diner, holding hands. Soft seventies pop plays on the radio, while Cavendish closes his eyes again. He looks happier than Dakota’s ever seen him, which is saying a lot. 

The drive back passes by relatively quietly. Cavendish naps while Dakota drums his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music. 

Dakota parks the vehicle at the very front of the apartment. 

“Cav, we’re here.” 

Cavendish opens one eye and yawns, cracking his fingers. He steps outside the vehicle and they walk up the stairs into their apartment. It’s a small one-bedroom, one-bathroom place. It has soft green walls, dark wood floors, and Christmas banners hung up all over the place. 

“Home sweet home,” Dakota says, taking off his shoes. Cavendish follows the motion. 

“Okay, so, gifts!” Cavendish claps his hands and runs over to the Christmas tree, where a red and yellow printed present sits. 

“I hope you like it!” Cavendish adds nervously as Dakota opens the present. 

A perfectly shiny golden watch beams up at Dakota. 

He sets it down with a smile on his face and hugs Cavendish. “It’s perfect! How did you know I wanted a watch?”

“Ah, well,” Cavendish rubs the back of his neck, “you talk in your sleep. Put it on!”

  
Dakota pulls away and straps the watch onto his arm, examining the effect. He won’t be shy to admit, it’s a nice one. 

“Here’s your gift,” Dakota says, picking up a messily wrapped silver and green package. 

Cavendish opens it carefully, trying not to rip the paper. 

“A clock lapel pin?” Cavendish says, running his finger over the silver pin. 

“Yeah, y’know,” Dakota shrugs, “I figured it would be…”  
  


“Wonderful,” Cavendish breaths, putting it on. Dakota nods, adding “Hey, I’m kinda tired. Do you want to take a nap?”

“Come to think,” Cavendish shivers, “it’s rather cold, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I think our heater broke. Wanna cuddle?”  
  


Cavendish shrugs good-naturedly. “You were always the forward one. Sure. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m in a great mood!”

They walk to their bedroom, hand in hand. “Your bed or mine?” Cavendish asks. 

“Mine is bigger,” Dakota pushes Cavendish on the bed, wrapping a warm arm around his body. “This good?”

Cavendish sighs, hugging Dakota. “Oh, yes. Merry Christmas, Vinnie.”

Dakota presses a kiss to Cavendish’s lips, huddling closer for warmth. “Merry Christmas, Balthazar.”

“So, we’re boyfriends now?” Cavendish takes off his glasses and puts them on the green nightstand.

“Mhm,” Dakota replied, putting his sunglasses next to Cavendish’s glasses. 

A heavy snowstorm blankets Danville in her cold, soft grasp as the two lovers nap the day away in each other’s arms.


End file.
